If your best friend jumped, would you?
by sarah.child68
Summary: AU One shot about Percy saving Annabeth from herself... This was gonna be a one shot... but if I figured why not add a couple more so now it's a series of one shots- let me know what you think!
1. Chapter 1

You know when you were growing up and your parents would ask you why you did something, and you would say because so-and-so did it? Then your parents would ask if someone else jumped off a bridge would you, and you would always say no because that seemed crazy? Let's see if this changes your mind.

Everyone knew about the bridge. It was the bridge that hung over the icy cold water of the only river within miles of this small quaint town. Police officers and ambulance drivers frequented that bridge. The bridge was so silent and serene that it was a favorite place for many misunderstood people. No one knew whether it was the secludedness of the bridge, the height of the bridge, or even the low-railing, but it was a popular spot for people who had given up.

The thing that mesmerized everyone was the way that the snow would sparkle and glow red and blue as the police would pull up and the ambulances would leave. But ultimately no one could ever shake the feeling of the bridge, the feeling that drew you towards the bridge. Some people say that standing on the bridge drives you insane, that the snow falling from the sky, the river slowly freezing over, and the utter stillness will make you go crazy.

First, it was Jane Bowing, 8 months later, it was Reily Stout. After that it was Jamie, Melanie, and Grace. Finally, there was my best friend Piper. Jane's parents had both died in a car crash not two weeks before her jump, it wasn't much of a shock when the town found out, Riley was just a copycat of her. The pact between Jamie, Melanie, and Grace was for attention. But no one knew why Piper did it.

Piper and I grew up right down the street from each other, we were best friends since preschool. Her family was the exact same as mine, until, I realized it wasn't. My family was all picket fences and minivans, while hers, well hers was different. She grew up in an apartment complex, her parents were divorced, and she never once complained about her life. She constantly listened to me complain about my problems and I never cared to hear hers.

She jumped right after she lost that soccer game, but would she really jump just because of that? No way, umm, she… always talked about how she wanted to leave. I thought she just meant on vacation, maybe she really wanted to jump.

The more I paced, the more I thought, the more I thought the more I just wanted leave, but the more I wanted to leave the less i could. I could feel the bridge and the silence of the night getting to me. Drawing me in… the longer I stayed the less I could fight it. The water below looked so cool and comforting and I…

Wait

Breath-in out in out

Count- 1,2,3

Blink- 1,2,3,4

Step back, stop, pace.

I don't know how long I paced, but I do know that gentle snow began falling around me as I paced. By the time I was done pacing, the snow had formed a light layer of white dust on the ground, and I had lost all feeling in my fingers. But that's what it took, for me to channel Piper in me. For me to figure out her reason.

I finally realized, she didn't jump for one reason, she jumped because for the last 15 years of her life, all of her problems were bottled up inside of her, and the soccer game was the last straw.

She had a million times to open up and tell me what was going on, but I was too focused on myself to care. She did everything for me, and I did nothing for her. Growing up, I thought we were the exact same, that we were just meant to be best friends. We grew up in the same town, within a mile of each other, in the same classes all the way from preschool until now, we grew up in the same little town. Until I realized, we were galaxies apart and I didn't have a clue who she was.

She used to be my best friend, and we used to tell each other everything. I don't know when that changed but I refuse to keep going and move on without her by my side. She was my rock even if I wasn't hers.

Everyone thinks that those who jump are weak, and depressed, that they just gave up in the fight against the world. But what they don't know is that those people are too tired to keep pushing against the world. That's what standing on this bridge does, it makes you see the light. Those who jump aren't weak, they're just more tired and worn out than everyone else. They had a problem and they couldn't find a way to solve it, so they gave up.

I can't keep fighting, like jane, riley, jamie, melanie, grace, but most importantly I need to be like Piper. All of them gave up on to the world, gave up on to all of the awful people in the world, and made their own decision, did what no one wanted them to do with their life. They were the cowards of the world, and it's my time to join them.

The thing that mesmerized everyone was the way that the snow would sparkle and reflect red and blue as the police and ambulances would leave. But ultimately no one could ever shake the feeling of the bridge, the feeling that drew you towards the bridge. Some people say that standing on the bridge drives you insane, that the snow falling from the sky, the river slowly freezing over, and the utter stillness will make you go crazy.

First, it was Jane Bowing, 8 months later, it was Reily Stout. After that it was Jamie, Melanie, and Grace. Then there was my best friend , it's my turn. Everyone knew why Jane jumped, and Riley was just a copycat of her. The pact between Jamie, Melanie, and Grace was for attention. Piper cowered from the world, and I am going to cower with her

Those who jump like to think that the people in the world don't care about them, but they're wrong. Those left behind are the ones who have to deal with all of the grief, and pain and suffering of the cowards who left. Those who stay are strong, but I've made my choice.

Wait-

Breath- in out in out

Count- 1,2,3

Blink-1,2,3,4

Step up, Step forward. Count-

People try to ignore the pain, the suffering, all of the bad parts in the world. It won't work, not now not ever.

1

But we know, all of the tired, hurt, and lonely people in the world know-

The pain and suffering all go away after the jump. The jump will bring release we would never feel otherwise.

2

But in the end, everyone will always know about the bridge. It was the bridge that ran over the icy cold water of the only river within miles of this small quaint town.

But now- It's my turn, my turn to be like Piper and listen to what she would tell me to do.

So now I ask you - If your best friend jumped off a bridge, would you?

3

"WAIT!"

I jumped, startled by the voice. I turn around to find Percy Jackson… "What do you want?" I asked him.

"You were going to jump, weren't you?" he asked.

"Yes"

"Why?"

"Because Piper's gone." as I said this, I broke. I couldn't hold my tears anymore, because she was my best friend, and she's gone.

"Oh Annabeth, I'm so sorry… Come here."

"WHy"

"Just do it"

"Ok" I said as I walked over to him, he enveloped me in a hug that took my breath away, and made the world disappear."

"It'll be okay, I'll be here," he said to me while pulling me even closer than I already was.

"Ok." and in that moment I believed him.

The world was better,

Wait-

Breath- in out in out

Count- 1,2,3

Blink-1,2,3,4

Let go- today I leave my hardships behind, today I accept that Piper's gone, today I got a new friend, but today I accept that I'm meant to live my life.

And Percy Jackson helped with it all.


	2. Chapter 2

As I was escorted to the front desk, all I could think was what if I'm too crazy to cure.

"Okay hold on, Annabeth Chase age 15, 5 ft. 2 inches. Depression, Reactive Attachment Disorder, and PTSD stemming from your father abusing you. Your mother checked you in and you're not allowed to leave without her consent," mumbled the blonde nurse behind a desk typing away on a computer. I was too scared to speak, when she started walking away so I followed.

She led me up two sets of stairs and down a couple of hallways until stopping at a room labeled number 68 with the letters S-I underneath it. "This will be your room during your time here, and you will have a roommate who is already inside. If you have any questions ask her."

I didn't get a chance to reply because she had already started walking away. Nervously, I opened the door, and instead of finding some psycho killer, I found what looked like a normal girl with normal problems.

"I'm Piper, welcome to the bin."

"The bin?"

"Yeah, Oakwood psychiatric facility. Here, Oakwood is the loony bin or bin for short."

I looked around the room, and it definitely was not a normal room. There was two twin beds with white sheets and crisp white pillows, there was a window in which you could faintly see the outline of Pittsburgh. The walls looked like the opposite of typical asylum walls, no pads and no bars on the windows, but the scary part was that that was it, no desk, no lamp, not even a light.

"So what's your name, or are you too scared to tell me?"

"Annabeth, my name is Annabeth. So like what do you guys do here? Like for fun." I asked.

"Follow me." she replied.

I followed her down a couple hallways until we came to what looked like a cafeteria. We walked in and sat down at a table with two boys. Both looked up when we sat down. "This is Annabeth, Annabeth this is Percy and Jason." They just nodded their head in greeting.

After getting through the awkward introductions, Jason was the first to speak up, "So why are you stuck in the loony bin?" I kind of expected this but not this soon so I just said the simplest answer I could think of, "Family troubles, you?" He responded quickly, almost too quickly, "I was suspect in my parents murder." That was definitely not what I was expecting.

Percy was oddly silent. He didn't say a word during our meeting, so naturally I was curious as to why. He got up to leave so I followed him; and once out of earshot of Piper and Jason, I spoke up. "So, why are you here? At Oakwood I mean." He took a couple seconds to think of an answer and then said, " I needed psychiatric help, Duh." He just walked away, no explanation, no nothing.

I tried finding my way back to my room, but all I did was get even more lost. I'm pretty sure Piper is like my guardian angel or something because she found me. "How did you find yourself all the way on the opposite side of the bin? Literally all the way on the other side." I couldn't think of an answer so I just laughed it off. "Well, let me show you back to our room and then hopefully find a map of this place just to show you where to go." I just nodded in agreement. "If we're going to be roommates we might as well get to know each other, so I'll go first. My name is Piper Mclean, I'm 16, and honestly I'm here for so many reasons I don't know where to start. First of all my parents are divorced so I was living two completely different lives, and they both sucked, majorly. Second of all, The doctors said I was a danger to myself, whatever that means, so then my parents were fighting for custody, and there was a huge custody battle, but due to the cause of it, I was sent here for further treatment. The End." Wow okay so, that's kind of scary, but almost seems normal for a place like this.

"Okay, so I guess I kind of owe you an explanation. I apparently have Depression, RAD, and PTSD. The doctors say it's from my father's maltreatment to me as a child, but honestly, I don't know. I was forced to testify against my father in court or something, so now my mother hates me because I'm the reason my father is behind bars. And just to add salt to the wound my brother hasn't talked to me in over 3 years since he moved out. So that's my family in a nutshell." It kind of felt really great to get that off my chest, but really nerve-racking at the same time.

We walked in silence the rest of the way back to our room, but once we were inside she finally spoke up. "Dinner is at 7:00 and lights out is at 8:10. Breakfast is at 8:00 and lunch is whenever we want to eat, so if you want to come you can join Percy, Jason, and me for dinner."

I politely declined by saying "Not tonight I'm sorry, I kind of just want time to recoup after the long day."

" Okay suit yourself."

After she left, I sat down on my bed and just stared at the city thinking about how messed up my life is, but compared to Piper and Jason it could be a whole ton worse, I guess. I know I've only known them for a couple hours ,but I like them a whole ton better than anyone else in my life. They understand what I'm going through and that's all I could ever ask for. I laid down thinking about how much I was actually starting to like this place.

I was awoken by a sharp prick in my arm. As I slowly opened my eyes, I saw a nurse standing over me with a needle in hand, "Sorry sweetie, but I had to give you some medication, doctor's orders." She then stood up and walked out taking a tray with the needle with her. Piper looked at me apologetically, "I remember the days when I had to deal with that, they sucked." I just nodded, not sure what else to say.

She took me down to breakfast with her, and made me sit with her, Percy, and Jason. I asked about the other patients and she said "Oh they're not permanently stuck here." I laughed at her response.

I excused myself from the table and started to walk out but Piper stopped me. "Need a friend?" I wasn't sure how to answer so I said, "Sure." We walked down the hall and then sat on the stairs. She turned to me, "I'm sorry about Percy, he doesn't really like newcomers…" I kind of already figured that out so I said, "I figured. I'm pretty sure he hates me." She laughed and then said, "He doesn't hate you, he just doesn't trust girls."

"Why?

"Because his mom abandoned him after his father's death, his sister hates him, and then I was the breaking point. I broke his heart and dumped him all in one day. We used to be really close but after our break up we grew apart I guess. So I guess you could say he doesn't have great experiences with girls."

I laughed at that.

"Now everything makes so much more sense." She laughed, got up, said a quick goodbye, and left me to my thoughts. At first I was confused as to why she would just leave, but then I realized she was probably reminiscing in memories and didn't want me to bother her.

After she walked away, I realized I've only been here a couple days, but I understand these people more than anyone else. They're psychos who are permanent residents in a loony bin, and now I've joined them. We make the perfect group. There's the delinquent, the orphan, the heart- breaker, and the no good misfit.

No normal person would want to be called any of these, but to a psycho? It's almost a gift, being any of these things was way better than being psycho. I never got why people were afraid of psychos, but now I completely understand. We aren't normal and that scares people. We don't need to be normal to be us. You never know how a psycho thinks until you are one. The world might not like psychos, but Oakwood was nowhere near short on psychos.


	3. Chapter 3

One bottle, two, three, now four- it was like a never ending chain of bottles. Once he started, he couldn't stop. He was addicted to the haze it put him in, he was addicted to the buzz he got. He couldn't control himself, and that is how it started. One cut, two, three, no four- it was like a never ending stream of blood. Once she started, she couldn't stop. She was addicted to the high it gave her, she was addicted to the buzz she got. She couldn't control herself, and that's how it started.

Two people lost together, struggling together…

Pour, Drink, Drop, Pour, Drink, Drop, Pour, Drink, Drop, Pour, Drink, Drop, Pour, Drink, Drop, Pour, Drink, Drop, Pour, Drink, Drop, Pour, Drink, Drop, Pour, Drink, Drop, Pour, Drink, Drop, Pour, Drink, Drop, Pour, Drink, Drop, Pour, Drink, Drop, Pour, Drink, Drop, Pour, Drink, Drop, Pour, Drink, Drop, Pour, Drink, Drop, Pour, Drink, Drop….

Stop

That's enough for tonight…except it wasn't because all he could think about at the time was one more drink, just a little fuller, just a little stronger, just one more drink.

Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide, Cut, Cover, Hide…

Stop

That's enough for tonight… except it wasn't because all she could think about at the time was one more cut, just a little deeper, just a little farther up, just one more cut.

"My name is Annabeth Chase and I'm a recovering cutter."

"My name is Percy Jackson and I'm a recovering alcoholic."

Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover, Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover, Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover, Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover, Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover, Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover, Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover, Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover, Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover, Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover, Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover, Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover, Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover, Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover, Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover, Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover, Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover, Pour, Cut, Drink, Hide, Drop, Cover…

Except that time there was no stop- there was no end

They were just two kids, two people whose fates were intertwined whose hearts were too heavy whose life was over before it began.

Two people lost together, struggling together, dying together….

But to them it was worth it, they got to experience all the highs that life had to offer, and that was enough for them

They just wanted one more drink, one more cut- but that last one was their undoing, they wanted to accomplish the un-achievable, but that last one was their last anything.

They were suppose to help each other, they always said the high they got by being with each other was better than any drink or cut they ever had or made… They were their at each others highest, and they were they as the life faded from each of their eyes.

One bottle, two, three, now four…

One cut, two, three, now four…

"My name is Annabeth Chase and I'm a recovering cutter."

"My name is Percy Jackson and I'm a recovering alcoholic."

They just wanted

One

More

One

More

One

More

Stop


	4. Chapter 4

"Welcome to AA "

"I never realized how hard it is- ignoring the pain I mean. I just started and never looked back, I didn't feel the need to. I was focusing on me not on anyone else. It started with just one here or there, once every couple of months. But then it got worse, once a day, most of the time more.

I avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward. The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now. Sometimes you can only find Heaven by slowly backing away from Hell. Believe you can and you're halfway there.

Nothing is impossible; the word itself says, 'I'm possible!' People often say that motivation doesn't last. Neither does bathing. That's why we recommend it daily. What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. It's difficult to believe in yourself because the idea of self is an artificial construction. You are, in fact, part of the glorious oneness of the universe. Everything beautiful in the world is within you. When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it. If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking. Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending. I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.' It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere. If things go wrong, don't go with them. Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. When the past calls, let it go to voicemail. Believe me, it has nothing new to say. – Unknown

Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is! It always seems impossible until it's done. The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually be afraid you will make one. Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday. What progress, you ask, have I made? I have begun to be a friend to myself. Every worthy act is difficult. Ascent is always difficult. Descent is easy and often slippery. People can be more forgiving than you can imagine. But you have to forgive yourself. Let go of what's bitter and move on. Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving. If you can quit for a day, you can quit for a lifetime. I understood, through rehab, things about creating characters. I understood that creating whole people means knowing where we come from, how we can make a mistake and how we overcome things to make ourselves stronger. In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there's something stronger — something better, pushing right back.

Patience and the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown.

It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. Where you stumble, there lies your treasure. Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right.

There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.

The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any. The past is a ghost, the future a dream and all we ever have is now. Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. Not feeling is no replacement for reality. Your problems today are still your problems tomorrow. I think that the power is the principle. The principle of moving forward, as though you have the confidence to move forward, eventually gives you confidence when you look back and see what you've done. Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Every experience in your life is being orchestrated to teach you something you need to know to move forward. Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Fall seven times, stand up eight. Either you run the day, or the day runs you. I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear.

When was the last time you woke up and wished you'd had just one more drink the night before? I have never regretted not drinking. Say this to yourself, and you'll get through anything. The best way out is always through.

If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else. Amazing how we can light tomorrow with today. Sometimes we motivate ourselves by thinking of what we want to become. Sometimes we motivate ourselves by thinking about who we don't ever want to be again. Every noble work is at first impossible. The great thing in this world is not so much where you stand, as in what direction you are moving. Every strike brings me closer to the next home run. I've been absolutely terrified every moment of my life – and I've never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.

Each one of these sentences was said by different person, each one means something different, but they're all about one thing- Addiction. I'm officially 6 months sober, now I don't know if you'd really call it sober, I've just changed what I'm addicted to. I use to love the feel of the razor cutting my skin, now I love the feel of his hands on my skin. I use to love to cut, now I love. I love his hair, and his dopey smile, I love him, I love his scar on his eyebrow, I love his smell. Just being around him makes me forget, forget about the cutting and pain. Yes I'm a recovering addict, but I've healed myself, I found a way to lessen the pain. He is my cure, and you'll find yours. My name is Annabeth Chase, I'm a recovering cutter, addicted to Percy Jackson."


End file.
